Canon EOS 6D review: The best value for money in the EOS range?

Adding a new line to the Canon EOS range, the EOS 6D is a fusion of the EOS 7D and the EOS 5D Mark III, that also includes some trickle down technology from the EOS-1D X. How does the EOS 6D fare against its competitors and more illustrious stable mates? Our tests reveal the answer.

Announced in September 2012, the Canon EOS 6D is a high-end, full-frame camera ideal for enthusiast and advanced photographers, or professional photographers looking for a second camera body. Its resolution and AF system mark it out as a camera that is aimed at those shooting portraits or landscapes, where good resolution and a full-frame sensor are key, but where the fastest AF is not as important.

Further readings for the Canon EOS 6D review: The best value for money in the EOS range?

To provide photographers with a broader perspective about mobiles, lenses and cameras, here are links to articles, reviews, and analyses of photographic equipment produced by DxOMark, renown websites, magazines or blogs.

First replies for this comment

Re: Canon EF 17-35 f2.8L USM

Hi,Thank your for your feedback, and our apologies for the late reply. The Canon EF 17-35mm f/2.8 is not in the road map, and we cannot assure you it will be reviewed, since not-so-recent lenses are unfortunately not in our top-priority testing list. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Lens addition(s) to Canon 6D 24-105 f/4L kit

Greetings, DxOMark! I recently purchased a Canon 6D paired with a 24-105 f/4L kit. Since the 24-105 f/4L is a general-purpose lens, I'm under the impression that there might be a need to augment my kit with primes and/or other zooms.

In what focal length(s) does the 24-105 f/4L underperform? Wide angle? Portraiture? Both?

In any event, what lens addition(s) would you recommend to augment my kit?

First replies for this comment

Re: Lens addition(s) to Canon 6D 24-105 f/4L kit

Hi,

Thank you for contacting us, and for your support to DxOMark! Comments on our readers' own use experience are more than welcome.You can check the results here: http://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Canon/EF24-105mm-f-4L-IS-USM-mounted-on-Canon-EOS-6D__836

video performance of Sigma 35mm f 1,4

I purchased a Sigma 35mm lens for my 6d based on your review. The lens is sharp for stills, but have noticed it looses significant sharpness when used for video. My Canon 50mm f 1,4 is much sharper for video. Do you know why this might be? I am considering returning the lens because the video quality is significantly compromised in video.

Re: 70-200 Tamron

First, I own neither lens, so I should be careful when stating opinions on them.

On the other hand, I have looked at the charts on The Digital Picture website, and from that I'd have to say that the Canon is still significantly better than the Tamron. When shooting wide open at 200mm, the Tamron gets noticeably softer all over, but particularly in the corners. At 70mm, sure, they are similar, but from the charts at least, the Canon is significantly better on the long end and off the center.

Interestingly, the charts here do not show the same thing, which surprises me. On TDP, the softness of the Tamron is quite pronounced at 200mm compared to the Canon. Quality Control perhaps?

Re: 70-200 Tamron

I would also like to have some feedback on this as I'm thinking between proved quality of canon and so,e issued on tamron.I'm divided between this Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 VR and Canon 70-200/f4 IS

Hi Terjeber,

Thank you for contacting us, and sorry for the late reply.The Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD achieves a very good score. The only lens that could compete with is the new Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8.Feel free to check the comparison here : http://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Compare/Side-by-side/Canon-EF70-200mm-f28L-IS-II-USM-on-Canon-EOS-6D-versus-Tamron-SP-70-200mm-F28-Di-VC-USD-Canon-on-Canon-EOS-6D___408_836_1027_836

6D or D600 ?

Give me a stupid question, between the D600 vs 6D which to choose here, really difficult to choose specific, I usually shoot M mode and RAW files (now I'm using 60D, Nikon better if I would have can find it). With 24-105 lens on 6D which lost 24-85 on the D600 is a bit sad for the price of 2 Canon lens and the difference is quite far: cost (6D + 24-105L)> (D600 + 24 -85), little more money I can buy Nikon 85f1.8, says far more about the 24-70 lens that Nikon Canon lower prices so more than 2 tubes mounted on the D600 6D and which one will look better !Please help me with 1 way most viable option for FF series this low price! Thank you! ....

First replies for this comment

Re: 6D or D600 ?

Quote:

Give me a stupid question, between the D600 vs 6D which to choose here, really difficult to choose specific, I usually shoot M mode and RAW files (now I'm using 60D, Nikon better if I would have can find it). With 24-105 lens on 6D which lost 24-85 on the D600 is a bit sad for the price of 2 Canon lens and the difference is quite far: cost (6D + 24-105L)> (D600 + 24 -85), little more money I can buy Nikon 85f1.8, says far more about the 24-70 lens that Nikon Canon lower prices so more than 2 tubes mounted on the D600 6D and which one will look better !Please help me with 1 way most viable option for FF series this low price! Thank you! ....

wide angle zoom lenses on 6D

Is it correct that the older 28-70mmf 2.8 L Canon lens is sharper than the first version of the 24-70mm f2.8 L lens when used on the 6D? Is this at all settings? When the initial 24-70mm lens was released, testing indicated that is was sharper than the older 28-70mm.

First replies for this comment

Re: wide angle zoom lenses on 6D

Hello!

Thanks for your interest in DxOMark.

It is right and not …. Sometimes lens measurements are diffcult to summarize: The sharpness score is slightly higher on the 28-70 but if you check the field map at the wider aperture you will noticed that the older lens is less homogenous.Check the comparison here:http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Lenses/Compare-Camera-Lenses/Compare-lenses/%28lens1%29/165/%28brand%29/Canon/%28camera1%29/836/%28lens2%29/168/%28brand2%29/Canon/%28camera2%29/836

Wide angle zooms for 6d

Is it correct that the older 28-70mmf 2.8 L Canon lens is sharper than the first version of the 24-70mm f2.8 L lens when used on the 6D? Is this across all settings? When the original 24-70 was released testing found it to be optically superior to the 28-70.

First replies for this comment

Re: Wide angle zooms for 6d

Hello!

Thanks for your interest in DxOMark.

It is right and not …. Sometimes lens measurements are diffcult to summarize: The sharpness score is slightly higher on the 28-70 but if you check the field map at the wider aperture you will noticed that the older lens is less homogenous.Check the comparison here:http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Lenses/Compare-Camera-Lenses/Compare-lenses/%28lens1%29/165/%28brand%29/Canon/%28camera1%29/836/%28lens2%29/168/%28brand2%29/Canon/%28camera2%29/836

Equal to D600 ???

How can you write that 6D has equal image quality than D600 when 6D paired to its best lens, the sigma 85mm f/1.4, has a overall score of 34, and D600 scores 40 with its own 85mm f/1.8 (not even mentioning the nikkor 85mm f/1.4 wich is overprice and to stay below the best lense for canon)...

First replies for this comment

Re: Equal to D600 ???

Hello,

Thanks for your interest in DxOMark.

Please have a look at our title for this part : “Canon EOS 6D versus Nikon D600: IQ of D600 is slightly higher”, I think we agree :)For the first part, we tried to compare some lenses that should provide very close optical results on both systems. That is why we did not mention the Nikon 85mm but the Sigma 85 and 35mm.

Scores?

I like these specific roundups, very useful for owners of the cameras involved. But I'm a little confused by how the overall scores are tallied. The Canon 100mm F2 EF rates above the Zeiss 100mm F2 ZE by one point, but a closer look at the scores for individual areas shows the Zeiss to equal (transmission, vignetting) or better (sharpness, chromatic aberration, distortion) the Canon in all areas. How then does it rate as one point worse overall? Is it because it doesn't auto-focus on the 6D? How many points are awarded for AF.

First replies for this comment

Re: Scores?

Hello,

Thanks for your comment and your support.

DxOMark score does not depend on the optical scores.It depends on the measurement perfomed for Sharpness, Distorsion, TStop, and shading. Noise, dynamic range and Color depth are taken into account too.